27.06.13
Siemens confirmed for £1.6bn Thameslink contract
The DfT has finally confirmed the Thameslink deal with Siemens, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced.
The £1.6bn deal will see a consortium of Siemens Plc and Cross London Trains, comprising Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, Innisfree Ltd and 3i Infrastructure plc, supply 1,140 new Desiro carriages and long-term maintenance at two new depots.
The fleets will be maintained at Three Bridges and Hornsey. The trains will come into service from 2016, with the full 24 trains an hour service in effect at the end of 2018.
Electrical components will be manufactured at Siemen’s factory at Hebburn, South Tyneside and the rolling stock will be tested in Germany. The contract will create up to 2,000 jobs across the UK’s supply chain.
A new interchange at Farringdon will also give Thameslink passengers access to the future Crossrail line for east-west journeys across London.
The news follows a legal requirement, known as the Alcatel standstill period, before the contract could be formally awarded.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This contract is a boost for UK Plc, delivering jobs and injecting crucial investment into the rail industry.
“It will also vastly improve train travel into the capital providing fast, frequent services carrying more passengers than ever before.
“This is just one of many rolling stock orders in the pipeline which is both great news for other suppliers and the wider economy.”
Steve Scrimshaw, UK managing director at Siemens Rail Systems, said: “The finalisation of the Thameslink contract reaffirms Siemens’ commitment to ongoing development and continued innovation in the UK rail industry.
“The introduction of the new Desiro City will offer a much improved passenger travel experience and a step change in capacity and reliability. It’s a technologically advanced train that has been designed with UK travellers in mind, incorporating proven technology and using the expertise, skills and feedback of highly experienced UK operators, train crew, cleaners and maintenance staff at every stage of the process.”
David Statham, managing director for current franchisee First Capital Connect, said: “Through our work on the Thameslink programme we have already introduced new trains, new stations, the route’s first 12-carriage trains and 29% more seats at our busiest times of the day.
“These new trains will now further transform our passengers’ experience on the Bedford to Brighton and Great Northern routes, connecting new communities north and south of London and providing many longer services.”
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